It was the year they almost did it. Nine have been surging through 2013 with some big programming results and their NewsCAFF product has more than become competitive again, regularly winning in SYD & MEL and taking it to the line in BNE. They’ve purchased ADL & PER from WIN so that now the Network is truly national for the first time (ahead of the company’s launch on the stock exchange before Christmas). All this...

Time for another episode of the all too oft-ignored “Best Podcast Ever About TV”. This week Josh and I shoot the breeze on: the ongoing-but-hopefully-over saga surrounding Melissa Doyle departing Sunrise; The shows that haven’t been a success that the Networks wished you cared more about; a whole raft of new shows coming your way – including THE NEWSROOM and GREAT AUSTRALIAN BAKE OFF; and Ten Watch returns to...

1. INXS get re-cast & re-made. A drama about one of the biggest Aussie bands ever? Well it *could* work, but only if you had the support of the surviving members of the band and the casting managed to find actors that look like the original six members. Somehow, Shine Australia did it all. Luke Arnold (Winners & Losers, City Homicide) will star as Michael Hutchence, newcomer Nicholas Masters is Tim Farriss, Ido Drent...

Contractual obligations aside, Hamish & Andy’s Gap Year series two delivered a strong result for Channel 9 and the boys returning to Australia to deliver a two part series across Australia & New Zealand to see out the ratings year in the Sunday night Big Brother slot will be a smart move (though they are unlikely to beat Sunday Night). Still – self-deprecating fun! From the press release: Hamish and Andy love...

This week there’s so much to cover as Olympic fever grips Foxtel and Channel 9 (and most of London). What are Channel 7 and Channel 10 doing with their schedules for the next two weeks? Is THE SHIRE as bad as every makes out, and how is LARA BINGLE any better? Why do people keep asking obvious questions? I roped in Josh (@JoshuaWithers) to discuss this and a whole lot more including: THE TODAY SHOW’s important role in...